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What you should do with your pets during a hurricane

Posted: 3:05 PM, Sep 12, 2018

Updated:2018-09-12 19:05:08Z

By:
CNN

<p>Hundreds of thousands of people are under evacuation orders in Virginia and the Carolinas as Hurricane Florence gets closer to its anticipated landfall later this week.</p><p><a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT1+shtml/051439.shtml" target="_blank">Florence intensified</a>&nbsp;to a Category 4 hurricane Monday, with maximum sustained wind speeds measuring around 140 mph. The National Hurricane Center&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NWSEastern/status/1039258677776134150" target="_blank">predicts</a>&nbsp;the storm will continue to strengthen as it moves across the Atlantic, possibly building up to a Category 5 as early as Tuesday.</p><p>It&#39;s expected to make landfall somewhere over the Carolinas&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NWSEastern/status/1039167238400614400" target="_blank">on Thursday</a>.</p><p>The governors of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina have all declared states of emergency.</p><p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NWSEastern/status/1039178704826650624" target="_blank">National Weather Service reports</a>&nbsp;those states and the surrounding region face increased risk of life-threatening storm surge and heavy flooding.&nbsp;</p><p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=107003" target="_blank">U.S. Navy also ordered</a>&nbsp;all ships docked in the area to leave port and wait out the storm in the Atlantic.</p><p>If Florence ends up making landfall on North Carolina, it could&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-hurricane-florence-20180910-story.html" target="_blank">be one of the</a>&nbsp;strongest storms on record to directly hit the U.S. that far up the East Coast.</p><p>Additional reporting from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/" target="_blank">Newsy affiliate CNN</a>.&nbsp;</p><hr><b>Trending stories at <a href="http://www.newsy.com">Newsy.com</a></b><ul class="inline-related-links"><li><a href="http://www.newsy.com/stories/59a45d6a0e529ad36b0cbe58/">White House Coordinating Another Trump-Kim Meeting</a></li><li><a href="http://www.newsy.com/stories/house-passes-bill-making-it-easier-to-deport-criminals/">House Passes Bill Making It Easier To Deport Criminals</a></li><li><a href="http://www.newsy.com/stories/judge-florida-must-provide-spanish-election-materials/">Judge Orders Florida To Provide Some Election Materials In Spanish</a></li></ul>

"It is often a last-minute consideration," says Celene Albano with the Hurricane Pet Rescue non-profit. "So people take their pets without the right supplies or adequate plans which then creates big problems wherever they go. Or they abandon their animals which is even worse."

Here are specific steps to consider to safely evacuate with your pets.

Before you evacuate

Check in with your vet: The veterinarian should be able to get you copies of your pet's records and proof of vaccinations. If your pet takes medication, make sure to get a two to three week supply. Check with your vet about enrolling your pet in a recovery database and getting your pet microchipped. Even if they have a microchip, your pet should also have a collar with a rabies vaccination tag and an ID tag that includes your cell phone number.

Put together a pet emergency kit: The North Carolina department of Public Safety provides a detailed list
that calls for three to seven days of canned/dry food, enough water for a week, leashes, collars, muzzles and a sturdy carrier for each pet. Also include pictures of you and your pet together to help establish ownership and identity if you and your pet become separated. FEMA's emergency pet guide
also suggests you pack familiar items such as favorite toys and bedding to help reduce stress for your pet.

Consider places that'll take you and your pet: Hotels are not required to accept pets during hurricane evacuations. However websites like BringFido.com
, GoPetFriendly.com
and PetsWelcome.com
can help you find a place that will take both you and your pets.

If they're staying home

Don't confine them: For owners who have to leave pets behind, don't confine them pets to a room or crate, or tie them up. They need easy access to move around and a way to get to high places. Leave plenty of food and water and write on the outside of the house that there are pets inside. Celene Albano and her group Hurricane Pet Rescue has a list of instructions that can be found here
-- at the end of her long list of how to take your pet with you.

Don't abandon them: Unfortunately, a lot of small pets are abandoned. During hurricane Harvey, these were the phone calls that were the hardest for Albano. "Hundreds of people would call and tell us that if we could not take them, that they were leaving their pets. Pets are family, and I couldn't believe it. That is just wrong."

Make it easy for them to ride out the storm: Livestock
and large animals like horses
might not be able to evacuate. This link has preparation guides
that can help them make it through the storm.